As a relatively new player in the MICE industry, the Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (MITEC) sure is making a name for itself very quickly.
Even though this is only MITEC's second year of operations, it is already the third largest venue in Southeast Asia, capable of hosting mega-exhibitions for over 100,000 visitors and conventions with capacity of 20,000. These specs have allowed MITEC to hold many successful events in 2018. For example, it held 135 events and 18 exhibitions in 2018, with a total foot count of 282,390. It also won the bid to bring in AIPC Annual Conference 2020.
However, holding events and having large capacities is just one part of the equation. Gunther Beissel, CEO of MITEC, explained, "In 2018, we have been exceptionally successful in partnerships. Locking down a five-year agreement with United Business Media (M) Sdn. Bhd (UBM Malaysia), we will host four of UBM's renowned events from 2019 to 2023 and a biennial event from 2019 to 2028. We also sealed an exclusive collaborative partnership with Guangdong Tanzhou International Convention & Exhibition Centre (GICEC) China, already carving our presence in Asia. These are long-term business partnerships that will increase our international outreach and generate the economic impact for Malaysia."
As for 2019, Beissel shared that the plan is to appeal to sectors such as digital automation, smart manufacturing, agriculture, medical science and technology. These sectors, according to Beissel, have been earmarked as industries that the authorities would like to attract to Malaysia.